FEMA does it...again.

[Duke]

I saw this on the O.com homepage. I personally think FEMA's level of bureaucracy knows no bounds. Just when I think they are wising up, they pull a stunt like this that defies any semblance of common sense.

Am I the only one who believes this agency has some issues to deal with?

[Washingtonian]

Wow, that is pretty ridiculous.

[dannmann1050]

I just hope this makes it to the Major Network News... This is the kinda stuff the American people need to see and know what is going on.

[Java King]

I'm confused on this article
I had armed police protection the entire time I was on duty running fire calls in New Orleans. Something doesn't sound right with this article.

[Danny Ponder]

fema/fema/fema

Who the hell cares about fema.
FEMA is not a law enforcement agency.
FEMA writes the damn checks period.
It's others in the command structure who are screwing up.
Command and Control is what the problem is.
You should have representatives from all branches in the technical operations command (TOC).
Looks like some of these people have never had training in command and control.
I live 300 miles north New Orleans and we never received a message for help.
I look and see all these departments from all across the nation responding to New Orleans.
Now were they asked or did they just go on their own.
I know of local cops who hooked up to the bass boat and hauled *** to New Orleans who were on the side of interstate for days behind other cops who just hooked up and hauled *** with the bass boat.
Now listen folks under NIMS (national information management system) they will e-mail or call departments and ask for help.
You just don't watch TV and decide to haul *** to New Orleans because Heraldo is crying holding a baby.
They had traffic jams from Baton Rough all the way to New Orleans because cops decided they wanted to get involved.
Ohhhh by the way all police officers will have to go through NIMS training if there departments want federal grants.
By order of HOME LAND SECURITY.

[Da Po-po]

Who cares about FEMA??? What kind of question is that? FEMA is supposed to do far more than just write checks. They are responsible for coordinating the entire recovery effort from organizing search & rescue, military, law enforcement, and all of the logistics associated with it. They have this thing screwed up worse than a football bat. And now they suspend one of the best Urban Search and Rescue teams in the country because they had armed police on their detail providing security?!? GIVE ME A BREAK!!! These officers were trained and were deputized by the US Marshal's Service. Who cares if the search and rescue guys had armed cops with them? Why anyone would see that as an issue is a nutjob.

I agree that officers don't need to hook up and haul buggy into an area without checking first. FEMA contacts state level emergency management who in turn contacts local agencies when help is needed. That keeps just that sort of problem from happening, and assures assistance is available as long as it is needed after the initial incident. Gotta give kudos to those guys who did want to help since they cared enough to do it, but they just went about it the wrong way.

[nacorbier]

So, is FEMA going to throw a bitch fit when Blackwater USA is providing security to SAR teams, as well, because they're in their area of operation? From what I understand, Blackwater USA was contracted to protect the utility companies down there, and several were deputized as US Marshal's like everybody else down there.

Next time, just assign officers to a SAR team for the duration, who "aren't on the team." You know, until FEMA gets their head out of their ***.